Dual driver licence (taxi and private hire) - Licences and permissions

There is no reception open to the general public in respect of taxi licensing at Plough Lane and staff have no access or ability to photocopy applications or documents.

Therefore, please email copies of all paperwork to taxilicensing@herefordshire.gov.uk

We will accept photographs of the paperwork taken on smart phones provided the photographs are clear.

In the 'Subject' line of the email, please write your name, your licence number (Driver badge
number/Hackney or Private Hire Vehicle Licence number) and the type of the document/s you are submitting (for example insurance, MOT, renewal application form).

Payments should be made by card for applications by calling our office on 01432 261761.

You will need a dual driver badge and licence issued by Herefordshire Council in order to drive a licensed hackney carriage or private hire vehicle.

Anyone can apply for a dual drivers badge and licence, however, you must:

• Be 21 years old or over
• Have held a full current driver's licence for at least 12 months
• Have the right to work in the UK

All drivers have been vetted by the council and must wear an identity badge. The vetting process includes a medical to DVLA group 2 standard, Enhanced Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check, and a knowledge test of the area.

A photo badge is issued to all licensed drivers. The badge will contain the following information:

• Herefordshire Council logo
• Driver's photograph
• Driver's name
• Driver's number
• Expiry date of licence

Driving licences for taxis and private hire vehicles

DVLA

Taxi and private hire licensing policy

Taxi fares tariff notice

Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 

Town and Police Clauses Act 1847 

Road Traffic Act 1988 

The Road Vehicle (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986

Hackney carriage byelaws

You can pay online using our secure payments service. Select Licensing from the list and then the type of licence you wish to pay for.

To renew your dual driver licence or to apply for a new dual driver licence you will need to complete the:

Online application form for a dual driver licence

and read the:

• Dual driver licence guidance notes
• Conditions for a dual driver licence
• DBS application guidance
• Medical form (it is advisable that the medical is not carried out until a satisfactory DBS check has been received)

If you do not have a British passport you will also need to obtain a Certificate of Good Conduct from your country of origin and/or where you have been living.

Please ensure that you read the documents thoroughly and answer all questions on the application form. Any missing information will delay the processing of the application. When you have completed all the forms you will need to take them to Hereford Customer Service Centre. Your paperwork will then be passed to the taxi licensing section.

Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check

The time it takes to process your application is determined by the length of time taken to carry out a Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check and whether you need to attend a committee hearing to determine your fit and proper status. The DBS return can take up to 12 weeks. Herefordshire Council has no control over the length of time a DBS takes to be returned.

The DBS information assists us in determining if you are fit and proper to drive a licensed taxi and/or private hire vehicle.

If previous convictions have been released through the DBS check, we may refer your application to the council's Regulatory Committee for determination.

If a licence is granted it is subject to conditions. If you breach any of these conditions we could issue penalty points, suspend or revoke your licence.

Knowledge test

Once the necessary checks have been completed and your fit and proper status is determined, you will need to arrange an appointment for a knowledge test. You will also need to read the following knowledge test pack documents before taking the test.

Knowledge test pack documents

• Microsoft TEAMS Knowledge test - rules and regulations
• Conditions for a dual driver licence
• Conditions for a private hire and hackney carriage vehicle licence
• Places of interest and roads
• Safeguarding information sheet
• Hackney carriage byelaws

The knowledge test consists of 20 questions based on places of interest, roads and routes around the Herefordshire area, the vehicle and driver conditions and byelaws, a spoken English and numeracy test.

The pass mark is 80 percent:

• 16 out of 20 (80%) for Places of Interest and Policy Conditions
• 15 out of 17 (88%) for spoken English and
• 5 out of 5 (100%) for Numeracy

You will be allowed three attempts to pass the test.

You will need to provide us with two passport size photos in order for us to issue you your badge.

Insurance certificate

Before we can issue the badge, you need to submit an insurance certificate showing you are appropriately insured for the purposes of hackney carriage/private hire use.

You can now renew your dual driver licence and badge for either one, two or three years.

Dual driver licence renewals – this reminder will be issued one month before your licence is due to expire.

• The responsibility to renew the licence before the expiry is with the applicant.
• Use the form in the Application and guidance section to renew a licence.
• We will not issue a licence until all the necessary checks have been returned and are deemed to be satisfactory.

Medical renewal – this reminder will be issued two months before your medical is due to expire.

You will need to ensure that the doctor who is completing your medical has access to your full medical records while completing the form.

If you are:

• Under 65 years old, your medical renewals will vary between one to five years, at the discretion of our Occupational Health Physician
• 65 years or older you will need to have an annual medical

At any age, in certain circumstances, the council's Occupational Health Physician may deem it necessary to have an annual medical.

• The medical renewal form is in the Application and guidance notes section.
• All medicals forms sent to taxi licensing will need to be reviewed and assessed by our Occupational Health Physician, a charge is applicable for this, please refer to the fee table above for details.

Annual self declaration – this reminder will be issued one month before expiry.

• The annual self declaration form is below. Please complete and submit with the fee:
• Annual self-declaration - year 2 and 3

Herefordshire Council is in the process of moving to the DBS Update Service. We will provide details of how this may affect your application in the reminder email you receive.

If you change address during the term of your licence please let us know within seven days.

Changes to a licence

You need to notify us in writing of any change of address and/or telephone number within seven days of a change.

You must also write to us immediately if you have been involved in any incident which the police are involved and may lead to a caution or conviction and any motoring or criminal convictions and/or cautions imposed during the period of the licence.

If you fail to do this it may result in the immediate suspension of your dual driver licence or referral to the Regulatory Committee for determination. You would need to pay any costs incurred.

Penalty points scheme

• Telephone: 01432 261761 (All calls are dealt with by our contact centre staff and are allocated to an officer who will take action on the service request between one to ten working days)
• Email: taxilicensing@herefordshire.gov.uk
• Address: Licensing Section, Herefordshire Council, Plough Lane, Hereford HR4 0LE - for correspondence only
  There is no reception open to the general public in respect of taxi licensing at Plough Lane and staff have no access or ability to photocopy applications or documents.
  You should send applications or documents by email to taxilicensing@herefordshire.gov.uk

Emails to the department are allocated to the appropriate staff member who will take action between one to ten working days.
If you have not had a response before the 10 working days have expired please do not contact us again, as it may further delay a response. Please also ensure you have quoted your licence or taxi licence reference number or given your address in your call/email.
Please note: sending repeat or chaser emails will not prompt a quicker response and may result in a back log of emails and a possible further delay.